Abstract #4028

Fast & Localized 31P Saturation Transfer at 7T Reveals Slower Hepatic Metabolic Rates in NASH Patients

Ladislav Valkovic¹,², Martin Gajdosik¹, Stefan Traussnigg³, Marek Chmelk¹, Ivan Frollo², Michael Trauner³, Siegfried Trattnig¹, Martin Krssk¹,³

¹MR Centre of Excellence, Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; ²Department of Imaging Methods, Institute of Measurement Science, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia; ³Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

The goal of this study was to test the feasibility of magnetization transfer (MT) for non-invasive distinction of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and steatohepatitis (NASH). 31P-MRS MT measurements of ten suspected NAFLD/NASH and of four healthy subjects were performed on 7T system using surface coil (1H/31P). The NASH patients had significantly lower forward rate constants as compared to NAFLD patients and healthy volunteers.